Chapter 53
After breakfast Kitty had returned to her room to finish getting ready for whatever today held. She was suppose to be getting ready for school but she really didn't feel like it. She means how can she concentrate on school work when Clark is who knows where, probably being tortured or something.
Kitty sits at her dresser brushing her hair and lets out a prolonged sigh. Why does this stuff keep happening to them?
"You know I hate to see a pretty lady looking so sad."
Kitty spins round and finds a certain red and blue clad figure hanging upside down out her window. "Peter!" she cries out in surprise at seeing him. She bounds over and opens her window fully and Spider-Man climbs in. He pulls his mask off to reveal that cute face Kitty loves so much. She throws her arms around him.
"Whoa," Peter says taken by surprise at the ferocity of her hug. "This is better than my usual reception," he quips.
Kitty pulls back and makes a face at him. Before even his spider-sense can react Kitty punches him on the arm.
"Ok, ow," Peter whines as he rubs his arm. "What was that for?"
"Two things. First I always give you a great reception," she argues, annoyed at him. "And second what are you doing here and why didn't you tell me you were coming over? "
"That's 3 things," Peter points out which earns him another punch to his arm. "I really need to learn when to shut up," he mumbles to himself.
"Yes you do," Kitty confirms. "Now why are you here?"
"Well funny thing," Peter starts off his story with. "There I was about to turn in at 2am when I get a phone call from this upset sounding girl saying that my part-time partner in crime fighting has been taken...and you know I can't stand to see very pretty girls upset especially when I happen to be dating said pretty girl," he says, his expression full of soft caring as he raises a hand to Kitty's chin and gently lifts her head a little so she looks at him right in the eye to see he means what he is saying.
Kitty did phone Peter and tell him what was going on. She just felt he should know. "So you like skipped school and came over to help?" Kitty asks him, astounded at him.
"Pretty much."
Kitty's eye sort of glaze over with deep affection and she leans forward and gives Peter a kiss. She smiles gently. "You're a great boyfriend," she says, truly touched deeply that he would go through the effort of coming all the way from New York.
"Well I know like a few hundred girls that would disagree with that...OW!" he yells as Kitty punches him again for the several hundred girls comment. "I'm kidding! You know I'm kidding. There's only been one." That's Gwen. Peter doesn't really think the symbiote influenced fling with the Black Cat really counts as a relationship.
"You really didn't need to do this Peter," Kitty tells him. "I know you're busy dealing with that Green Goblin weirdo." Kitty did worry over Peter's safety considering the injury he suffered at Tony Stark's party.
Peter was busy, as the Green Goblin, since Stark's party, had begun to try and muscle his way in to taking over the criminal underworld. However, "My friend's in trouble Kitty. My Goblin problems can wait. I'm pretty certain he isn't going anywhere...unless Kingpin sits on him or something. Man now that would solve all my problems. I wonder if I could arrange that..."
Kitty giggles as Peter gets this far off expression and she knows he is actually imagining that. She snaps her fingers in front of his face to snap him back. "I appreciate you came Pete but for the minute we're like totally stuck. We don't even know where Clark is. The Professor is going to talk to this lady tonight who is like an informant and hopefully she'll know."
Peter shrugs. "So I came up with an excuse to drop in on my special lady...not that I need one," he adds before Kitty hits him again.
That makes Kitty smile. "You bring a change of clothes?" she asks him as she points at the bag on his back.
"Yep."
"You'll need them if you're staying all day. We have guests. I think it'll be easier to explain off Peter Parker, my boyfriend, visiting rather than Spider-Man."
Peter understood. "They're not mind-reading guests are they?" he asks, not particularly wanting to hang around telepaths he doesn't know.
Kitty shakes her head. "Nope."
That makes Peter breathe easier. He starts getting his regular clothes out his bag. "How's Rogue doing?" he asks.
Kitty bites her lip. "Been better," is all she can come up with. "I don't think she has come out her room today so far."
"Yeah. I can imagine it is not easy."
"Well it's not like it's the first time...and I think that is like actually making it worse. This seems to happen to Clark and Rogue a lot and she's a little fed up of it."
Peter wonders what that means.
Hank had retreated to the sanctity of his lab. It was his refuge when he needed to be alone...except today it seems when the door opens and Moira walks in. Hank can see a rather stunned expression on her face. "Is everything alright Moira?"
"Hmm...what?" she asks, not really catching that.
"Are you alright?" Hank asks again.
Moira sits down in a chair near Hank and the eerie quietness is starting to get disconcerting to the blue furred mutant. Finally, after what seems an eternity, Moira speaks. "Hank."
"Yes Moira."
"During this last year, all the times we've talked and ye never mentioned ye have an actual extraterrestrial living here!"
Ah. Hank understands now. "Promises were made that secrets were to be kept."
"But...but..."
Hank almost laughs at Moira's expressions as she tries to get her brain around the fact aliens are real.
"But he's an alien! A real, life sentient being from another planet!" she exclaims. "I-I talked tae him when ye were dropping Nitro off and...and...he was so...so...normal!" she cries in disbelief.
"Well it could be worse. He could have tried telling a joke," Hank jokes dryly about Clark's sense of humour.
Moira just looks at Hank in sheer disbelief. "How are ye so calm?"
Hank shrugs. "Because I've known him for over a year. I've had time to adjust."
"But...but it's what every scientist has dreamed of. Confirming we are not alone in the universe. My god I can only imagine what his biology is like...how it functions...wait a minute," Moira says as something suddenly strikes her. "You've had an entire year tae study him," she says to Hank with an intense gaze.
"We try to avoid the word study. It makes Clark uncomfortable," Hank says first off.
"Why?"
"Because one of his worse fears is that, because he is otherworldly, that one day he'll end up strapped to a table being dissected for study. We try to use the phrase, a process of discovery."
"Oh," Moira says. She had never considered that the boy would feel that way. "But ye must have made some amazing discoveries," she soon returns to the topic her curious scientific mind is desperate to know about.
"Indeed I have," Hank confirms. "I have also only barely scratched the surface. Clark is...well he makes even the most powerful mutant look simple by comparison. I doubt I'll live long enough to fully understand him...and stop giving me that look Moira," he suddenly tells her off.
"What look?"
"That look," he says, pointing at her face. "I know you want to look at Clark's file but that is out of the question. I must uphold doctor/patient confidentiality," he states his position firmly.
Moira's hopes are shot down but she accepts Hank's position. "There must be some general information you can give me," she asks, nay pleads, of him.
Hank silently groans. He thinks what he can say if anything. "Clark...Clark's body processes almost all forms of electromagnetic radiation. Specifically the light of the sun seems to fuel his abilities and the process is so efficient he does not need to ingest sustenance."
"He doesnae eat?"
"He eats...more than you can imagine," Hank says with a wry grin at the amount of food Clark actually eats, "but he strictly does not require to. He also requires next to no sleep...and he is also a lot brighter than he ever lets anyone think."
"In what way?"
Hank looks around his lab and points at one his impossibly thick books on the shelf on the all. "Remember that book?" he asks Moira.
"Yes."
"Do you remember how long you took to read it?"
"Weeks."
"As I recall Clark read it, cover to cover, in about 15 minutes and can recall every single word of it perfectly. My belief is he has an eidetic memory. He also taught himself Chinese in a day and I'm pretty certain has knowledge on a wide range of subjects. He absorbs information like a sponge. By human standards he is a genius."
"And by his people's standards?"
"No way to know nor ever likely to either. His world is gone."
"Aye. His parents mentioned that," Moira says with more than a twinge of sympathy for the poor laddie...and more than a twinge for his parents. She can imagine, from when Rahne vanished after the mansion was stormed by the MRD, what they're going through now. It isn't pleasant which only adds to her determination to see this through and help rescue the lad.
"You're not going to get Rahne in trouble over keeping this from you, are you?" Hank asks about Rahne keeping Clark's nature a secret. He is concerned about Rahne's and Moira's relationship.
Moira sighs lightly. "I could...but I winnae. I understand why."
Hank is satisfied over that. "How's Kevin doing?" he asks after her son.
Moira's face falls a little. "I'm still no closer tae stabilising his powers," she admits, saddened at her complete failure to help her son.
"His x-gene is unusually unstable," Hank points out which is what makes Kevin, first off, extremely powerful and second off, makes stabilising his power extremely difficult. He places a supportive hand on her shoulder. "We'll figure it out in time," he promises her.
"I hope so Henry. I hate it that I have tae lock him up as I do."
"It's the only way. You know what happened last time he was outside that room."
That's the only reason Moira can bring herself to keep her own son locked up. The fact that the alternative is worse.
Hank decides perhaps he can distract Moira with a problem he is having. "As you're here I was wondering if I could pick your medical brain in regards to Domino."
"Domino?"
"The one with the black spot around her left eye and compulsive need to talk."
"Oh, yes. Domino," Moira says as she recalls who Henry is on about. "What about her?"
"She has this control chip tethered to a nerve in her neck and so far I have not come up with a way to remove it without paralysing her."
"Control chip?"
"That's a long story. It involves a man called Colonel William Stryker."
"Well if I can help, ye know I will," Moira offers her services. "Now why don't ye show me Domino's scans while ye tell me about this Colonel Stryker," she proposes as a start.
Up in the Professor's office Sean has stayed behind when everyone else had left. He had promised Martha and Jonathan that he would help get their son back because no parent should be separated from their child. Trust him. He knows how it feels having had it happen to him courtesy of his cousin. "So, interesting people ye have around here these days Charlie-boy," Sean says with that crooked joky grin of his. An actual alien...well that's a new one even for him.
Charles smiles lightly. "The world is more complicated than it use to be Sean. The x-gene is not the sole method for people to obtain our special gifts and they all need help just the same as you did."
"Aye and ye never could stop being th' good Samaritan could ye Charlie-boy," Sean reflects on the reasons the Professor would help.
"I always offer help to those in need of it as you'll recall...and please refrain from calling me Charlie-boy. I do believe I have mentioned this before," he lightly scolds Sean because he use to call him that infernal nickname all the time back in the day.
"Whatever ye say. So Tessa is a spy?" Sean moves on to that. He sees no reason to dwell on the revelation of what Superman is. It's a shock but nothing has changed in regards to what needs to be done. They had talked about everything involving Superman, these 3 stones and the Inner Circle including Sage's role and Sean wants to ask about his old friend Tessa.
"She volunteered. I never asked her. Though I am concerned about her."
"In what way?"
"Lately it seems her reports are...sketchy. Now either she is truly out of the loop..."
"Or th' Inner Circle have gotten t' her," Sean can make the assumption thanks to the not so pleasant experience with Angel.
"I'd like to believe that isn't the case," Charles expresses his sincere wish.
"Aye, so do I...but in case it is I think I might just tag along when ye see her tonight," Sean offers his protection essentially.
"If you wish," Charles says not refusing the offer. Sean was more than capable of doing that. After all he did spend many of the last 20 years working for the police and Interpol and...some more black ops type organisations who officially don't exist.
"At th' very least it would be nice t' see her again. It has been far too long since we were all together," Sean says, almost nostalgic sounding for those days.
"It has," Charles says with some sadness at that fact. "But if you're planning a reunion don't expect Magneto to show," he jokily cautions.
"And I wouldn't invite Angel," Sean says with a tinge of anger at saying her name.
"No," Charles says in a flat emotionless tone.
"Ye ever seen her again?"
"No."
"But ye could find her if ye wanted t' couldn't ye," Sean knows.
"For what reason? To get revenge. That's not me Sean. That's not you either. As long as she chooses to stay out of my affairs I'll stay out of hers. I think that is what works best."
"Probably...but ye have t' wonder if Shaw will dust her off t' try and rankle ye."
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. That assumes she is even still alive Sean. I truly have not attempted to locate her so I couldn't even tell you that."
"I still can't believe she turned on us," Sean says still angry and disbelieving about how Angel betrayed them. "Ye did everything for that lass. Gave her a home, a purpose."
"It was obviously not enough for her. It's best not to dwell on it Sean. Trust me I have already done enough of that to last a lifetime. I moved on."
"Aye and brought back the X-Men. Interesting bunch from what I've seen."
"They're good people dedicated to what they believe in," Charles praises them with a small warm smile.
"What they miss is that charming Irish rogue who can melt the ladies' hearts," Sean smirks as he describes himself.
Charles chuckles. "You are always welcome here any time you wish Sean."
"Thanks but I have me life with Terry."
Charles accepts that. "She's a wonderful girl."
"Aye, that she is."
"You've done a great job raising her. I know it must have been hard losing her mother when she was so young."
"It was," Sean says with a sad smile as he thinks back on his late, dear, beloved Meave.
"Takes after her father I hear."
"Well maybe a little."
"God help us all," Charles jokes.
Sean bursts into laughter.
New York...
The sun had long since set and the cold, dark November night had set in as a figure in a black hooded cloak moves through the streets to reach her destination. It had been easy enough to slip away for Sage, what with everyone busy. Shaw was strangely obsessed with the Hellions, especially the one called Volcana. He had had Sage try and trace her history which she had done to the best of her ability. She still didn't understand why and Shaw was choosing not to explain himself.
Selene was...who knows where doing what. Nobody ever dared ask. Emma and Isobel were busy with Superman and the various other members of the Inner Circle were off dealing with their own petty concerns at the moment.
It had all meant that, as soon as her normal day as Shaw's assistant was over, she could meet Charles without questions being asked, which she was off to do right now. Right turn, down a darkened alley to a rather disreputable drinking establishment. It was perfect. The kind of place where people didn't ask too many question and wasn't linked to the Hellfire Club in anyway.
Sage wanders in and spots Charles easy enough at a table. She makes her way over and sits down. She pulls her hood down revealing her long dark hair, curling at the ends, as it frames her attractive face.
"Tessa," Charles greets her with a smile.
"Charles."
"I think we can dispense with the usual pleasantries and get down to business," Charles says in a very business-like manner.
"You wish to know where Superman is," Sage has calculated to a very high degree of probability would be Charles' first question.
"Yes," Charles confirms.
"He's imprisoned in the dungeon at our main headquarters. Emma is trying to access his mind so as to turn him."
Charles frowns. "She'll fail."
"I wouldn't be so sure of that."
"Oh and why is that lass?"
Sage frowns. That voice. It sounds like... "Sean?" she queries as she turns her gaze to the neighbouring table and there sits Sean Cassidy. Sage is an icy cool person by nature but she is completely shocked to see Banshee. "What are you doing here?"
"The same as me," a voice from behind says.
Sage turns round and looks up to a figure standing there. "Moira?" she says in the same surprise at seeing Sean.
"We decided on a little reunion," another voice behind and to the right says.
Sage turns to see a figure in a trench coat and derby sitting at another table. "Hank? Is that you?"
Hank lifts his hat slightly to show a little more of his features. When, during the day, Sean mentioned he was coming along Hank and Moira decided to join in.
Sean, Moira and Hank move to join Charles and Sage at the table.
"What are you all doing here?" Sage asks.
"To stop th' Inner Circle from harming th' lad," Sean explains the reasons. "Now why don't ye continue with your story. Emma is tryin' t' access Superman's mind," he prompts her.
Sage is completely befuddled and off her stride now. She can remember precisely how long it has been since they were all together like this. It was a long time ago. "Y-yes," she stammers slightly as she continues her story. "With the help of one I think you know. Isobel. Selene's daughter."
"She's planning to use her magic to help Emma access Superman's mind," Charles concludes.
"Yes."
"Will that work?" Hank asks with a puzzled expression.
Charles strokes his chin. Preferably he would like to ask Stephen that except all his attempts to get a hold of his friend have failed so far. It seems Stephen is too conveniently occupied and out of reach. "It may do. Still I don't believe Superman's mind would be a push over."
"It's not," Sage can confirm. "She's been at it all day and as far as I know hasn't been able to get through his mental defences...yet."
But how long can Clark resist is a question Charles doesn't want to find out the answer to. "We need a way in, Sage, so we can rescue him," he requests.
Sage sighs. "That won't be easy," she warns. "It's just not the normal top of the line security measures you have to get around. Selene has the place surrounded with magical protection wards. The technological side I have already created a few holes in for you. The magical side I can't help you with."
"And who is Selene?" Hank asks. "It seems you know little from what Charles tells me of what you have passed on."
"No-one knows much of her. She joined the Club about 50 years ago and interacts as much or as little as she chooses. No-one dare ask otherwise of her. Even Sebastian panders to her. Selene keeps her secrets to herself. All I know is she is an immortal sorceress of the darkest of black magics."
Hank and Charles share a sceptical look. They knew more than that about Selene and hadn't been inside the Inner Circle for 20 years. It raises some more fears about Sage.
"And her daughter? You never mentioned her showing up," Charles probes.
"I didn't know about her until yesterday. Shaw has been keeping me at arm's length recently," Sage explains that off.
"Is there anything else ye can tell us?" Moira asks Sage.
"I do now know Shaw's renewed interest in you has to do with Superman. That he is the key to a source of great power."
"Isobel told him," Charles can make the grim assumption and now it all makes much more sense. Emma's particular invite to Superman. It wasn't about him and the X-Men directly. It was about getting to Clark and the stones.
"Isobel must have fled to Selene after we defeated her," Hank makes the next deduction as to how this must have began.
"What about China?" Charles asks Sage. "How did they know we would be there?"
"Isobel had a vision from a conversation I overheard. It was all unplanned. Sebastian wasn't happy about that. It ruined what he was planning previously when I warned you he had turned his focus back to you."
"Getting in Superman's mind is about getting these stones as much as turning him isn't it?" Sean deduces.
"Probably."
"Then we must make the rescue attempt," Charles determines. "Sebastian Shaw cannot be allowed to have such power. We must get Superman and the stone."
"Where is the stone?" Hank asks Sage.
"In the vault which I don't have access to. The lock is DNA encoded so only a very few have access to it and the door is feet thick. You couldn't even blast through it quickly."
"Superman could simply tear the door off its hinges in moments," Hank argues from knowing how strong Clark is. "If necessary he could, in all likelihood, rip the entire vault out and carry it."
Sage blinks, a little caught in surprise by what Hank is saying. She hadn't been aware Superman was that powerful.
"So th' plan would be t' free th' lad and then have him use his strength t' get th' stone," Sean summarises.
"Perhaps," Charles cautions. "It depends on his state." He looks at Sage. "How is he being restrained?"
"Selene cast a spell and created mystically enchanted manacles that suppress his power."
"So he still has his powers?" Hank asks, just to be certain since Isobel managed to rob Clark of them last time.
"As far as I know."
"Do you have the plans for the building where Superman is?" Sean asks, knowing from his personal experience how vital planning this in advance to the finest detail is.
Sage reaches under her cloak and pulls out a memory stick and hands it over to Hank. "I've already added on where I have put the holes in the security and my best idea for how to infiltrate the building. Even then I calculate the odds of success at 50/50."
"Odds that are all any man can ask for," Sean says. "Th' rest is up t' th' Lord."
"Yes, quite. As usual Sean I leave matters of faith to you. I deal with what I can analyse and quantify which sadly doesn't include acts of God."
Sean grins. Sage hasn't changed that much. "One o' these days Tessa you'll learn there is more t' life than what can be analysed by that computer ye call a brain."
"Oh joy. I can hardly wait," Sage replies drolly.
"Is there a best time to attempt the rescue?" Charles asks.
"The details of the guards' shift patterns are on the stick," she replies. "When they change over is obviously the best time."
"Thank you Sage," Charles says to her grateful for all her help.
Sage accepts the gratitude with a nod. "I best be off. Sebastian gets suspicious if I can't be contacted," she makes her excuses to leave.
"It was good tae see ye again," Moira says.
"Yes. It was," Sage says in a quiet tone.
"Aye," Sean shares the sentiment. "Yer lookin lovelier than ever."
Sage rolls her eyes. "Sean that didn't work 20 years ago. What makes you think your attempts at flirting will work now?"
"I've matured beautifully," he quips with a grin and a gleam in his eye.
Sage rolls her eyes again.
"Take care of yourself Tessa," Hank says.
"You too Henry. I'm...sorry about what your mutation has done to you," she says, recalling from when he was young how much he feared what he was turning into.
"One must learn to accept who they are to move forward," Hank replies.
Sage smiles politely before pulling her hood back up and departing.
"Well she hasnae changed," Sean remarks.
"Perhaps but is she truly herself?" Hank asks.
"Do ye think she has been corrupted by the Inner Circle?" Moira asks the question they all have.
Charles contemplates this. "It still troubles me how little she said of Selene. You can type her name in a search engine and get a basic biography. The Sage I know would not overlook something so simple."
"And yet she said next t' nothin o' th' witch," Sean summarises the problem they now have whether they can trust Sage.
"Charles, we are relying on her plans to rescue Superman," Moira raises the issue of concern.
"We'll look them over and then double check as best we can what she has given us. I won't blindly follow her plan if we can concoct a superior one."
"That leaves Superman in their hands for longer," Moira points out.
Charles sighs. "I know," he says with much regret but they couldn't afford to get this wrong. In all likelihood they will only get one shot at this. They must get it right even if that means taking a risk in leaving Clark in the hands of the Inner Circle for a little longer.
Hellfire Club, New York...
Emma has to confess that Superman was a cunning foe. Inevitably she got past the first line of his mental defences only to find herself in a labyrinthine collections of, if you could visualise it, corridors that look like the ones at Charles' Institute as far as she can remember their appearance. The end result of this labyrinth is that, essentially, Superman has managed to keep her running round in circles in a maze, a maze that is constantly shifting and rearranging itself just to make her life more difficult. It meant so far she was still at a loss to explain who or what he is because she hadn't found a way into the deeper recesses of his mind. He was still keeping her out.
"You can't keep this up forever!" she yells down the hallway in front of her out of sheer frustration partly and just to see if she can get a response and a direction to latch onto.
"Bite me!" is the retort from a bodiless voice.
"Oh how mature!" Emma retorts snidely.
"I learned it from the best!"
"Your secrets will be mine!"
"Never! You'll never get the secret to my world famous peanut butter and jelly sandwich!" he denies her.
Emma's mental projection places a hand to her head. For a whole day it was like...well it was like she was dealing with 2 different people. There this cold, hard, emotionless side that frustrated her with logic and this other side that frustrated her with illogic. What kind of being is Superman?
Just then she hears...singing?
"In a cavern, in a canyon,
Excavating for a mine
Dwelt a miner forty niner,
And his daughter Clementine."
Emma tries to work out where it is coming from. When she thinks she has the direction she walks towards the sound. The singing continues.
"Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine."
The singing is terrible and off-key but she follows it anyway. Emma takes a right and then a left and the singing gets louder.
"Light she was and like a fairy,
And her shoes were number nine
Herring boxes, without topses,
Sandals were for Clementine."
Emma comes to a door. An actual door. The first one she has found...or hasn't been hidden from her. The door is chained and padlocked shut with various signs stuck on it like 'Danger!' and 'Keep Out!'. 'Never to be released under any circumstances'. 'Contents inside is extremely hazardous...and obnoxious...and arrogant...and cocky...and...', well you get the idea. It's a long list.
The singing is coming from behind the door.
"Oh my darling, oh my darling,
Oh my darling, Clementine!
Thou are lost and gone forever
Dreadful sorry, Clementine."
Emma has to say this is promising...or more accurately the most promising lead she has had so far in trying to crack Superman's mind. She knocks on the door and the singing stops.
"Ooh company!" an excited sounding voice from inside says and Emma can hear the person inside move to the door.
"So let me guess; Jehovah Witnesses right?" the person guesses as to who is at his door. "Man you guys really do get everywhere," he comments with a snigger.
"I'm not a Jehovah Witness!" Emma insists righteously.
"Girl scout? I do love me some cookies."
"I'm not a girl scout!"
"Cubs? Girl guides? Kissogram?"
"Aren't you at lest bit interested who is at your door?"
"You're not my ex are you. I swear that girl was kissing me! I never touched her!" he plays the role of the caught boyfriend.
"Oh lord give me strength," Emma pleads.
The voice laughs. "I'm just messing with ya. I know who you are Emma Frost."
"You do?"
"Just because they are like the biggest party poopers ever and lock me up doesn't mean I don't know what is going on inside our head." He sighs painfully. "The hottest woman ever and I can't even see you. It's inhuman this confinement I tells ya. I mean to rob you the pleasure of meeting me in person is just cruel and unusual," he says cockily.
"Who are you?" Emma asks the very simple but often informative question.
"Open the door and find out," he dares her. "Otherwise what is my bargaining chip if I just go ahead and tell you our dirty little secrets...and I'm betting you're the sort of woman who likes it dirty," he says, his voice dropping to a deep husky tone.
Emma can practically hear the smug smirk from here. This is her best shot so far at getting somewhere. She reaches for the chain when she is grabbed roughly and thrown away. It's the Superman dressed in the black that is responsible.
"That is quite far enough Emma Frost," he states sternly. "Now leave."
Emma picks herself up and dusts herself down. "If you could stop me you would have done so already. You're weakening. I can feel it."
"Perhaps he is."
Emma spins round to be greeted by another Superman dressed in a red jacket, blue t-shirt, jeans and work boots.
"But he's right. Time to leave."
"Boo!" the voice behind the door complains. "You guys are no fun!" he complains and you can hear the pout.
"Silence aberration!" the Superman in black bellows.
"Oh bite me!" the voice behind the door retaliates childishly. "Come on. Just look at her! You're with me right? After all I am you. We both know deep down you itch to just let me out so we can have some fun."
Emma thinks the voice is talking to the Superman in the red jacket when it asked that question.
"Can we discuss this when we're not chained up in a dungeon?" the one in the red jacket asks back, sounding a little exasperated.
"Please, like you aren't as turned on as I am by being at that woman's mercy," the voice behind the door insinuates.
"Ugh, I am so needing therapy," the red jacketed Superman complains as he rubs his face.
"Yeah but what can ya do right?"
"You see what I have to live with," the Superman in black mutters in complaint.
"Shut up!" the other 2 snap together.
"Like you're so easy to live with," the red jacketed one says disparagingly.
"Like totally!" the one behind the door agrees with the sentiment. "I, on the other hand, are simply a delight," he says in a high-call snobbish tone heaping praise on himself.
"You are a psychological aberration caused by repressive tendencies," the one in black gives his assessment of the one behind the door and he isn't meaning it as a good thing.
"Sounds delicious. Does it come with fries?" the one behind the door quips.
The one in black rolls his eyes while the one in the red jacket sniggers slightly.
This is...well this is certainly an experience Emma can say. It's certainly giving her a little fascinating insight and perhaps a plan of action. Before she can makes her next move she feels herself being pulled out of Superman's mind. She jerks back into her body, in Superman's cell, uncomfortably hard. She glares at the one responsible. "Why did you pull me out?" she snaps waspishly at Isobel.
"Shaw is demanding a meeting for an update. He didn't sound patient," Isobel explains herself.
Emma frowns. She isn't happy but she'll do what Sebastian wants for now. She looks at Superman, whose head has dropped down as he has fallen unconscious. He was weakening, both mentally and physically. They had cut him off from his powers and weren't feeding him or giving him water. Weaken the body to weaken the mind. She'll have to remember to get the guards to wake him back up on her way out. Lack of sleep also weakens the mind.
"Isobel could you please go ahead and inform Sebastian I will attend to him momentarily. I need a moment to refresh myself," she requests of the witch.
"Very well," Isobel says but not sounding happy about it. What is she? A delivery service? Emma better start getting the answers Isobel wants soon or she may just end up helping her mother torture them out of Clark. That's not an entirely unappealing idea.
As soon as Isobel leaves Emma cups Superman's chin and lifts his head. He was really very handsome. "Soon,"she says in a whisper. "Soon you'll break and all your secrets will be mine," she promises. She brings her white-coated lips to his ear. "Soon you will belong to me mind and body," she promises with a dark smile. After all power such as Superman possesses should be at her command. With him at her side...she gets a pleasant shiver just contemplating the possibilities.
Emma brings her head back and then brings her lips to touch his unresponsive ones. Once done with her kiss Emma strokes his face for a moment. It's strange that the key to her future lies within such a pretty package but as the saying goes never underestimate a pretty face...or at least that is Emma's saying. After all she is the living embodiment of that saying.
Superman will be hers and the power he is the key to will soon be in her hands and then...well Emma did remark once how Lady Imperial does have such a nice ring to it.
Author's Note: I thought as soon as Peter learnt Clark was in trouble he would show up to help so that's what I had him do. Lets face reality you'd be more surprised if Emma wasn't planning to double-cross everyone. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark surprises everyone when he manages to escape...or has he?